MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2017
Woah we’re half way there. Are you living on a prayer? WVU Professor Daniel Brewster offers advice for struggling students p.3
2 | MASTHEAD
MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2017
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This Day in WV History October 16, 1859: Abolitionist John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry galvanized the nation, further alienating North and South and drastically reducing any middle ground for compromise. The raiders easily captured the arsenal and the town of Harpers Ferry, but in their military inexperience failed to capitalize on their initial success. The hoped for slave uprising never materialized, and Brown’s men soon were besieged by local militia and U.S. marines under the leadership of Col. Robert E. Lee. After a last stand in a small fire-engine house, Brown and his surviving followers surrendered. He had lost ten of his 18 men, and himself was wounded. They had killed four people in taking Harpers Ferry, ironically including Heyward Shepherd, a free African-American of the town.
BUILDING CREDIT AS A STUDENT P. 3
Photo via the Associated Press
PHOTO VIA WIKI COMMONS
INFORMATION COURTESY OF THE WEST VIRGINIA HUMANITIES COUNCIL
Abolitionist John Brown, ca. 1856.
Staff
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CRIME WVU STUDENT HARVESTS LARGE PUMPKINS P. 4
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Oct. 12 7:43 P.M. | UNFOUNDED Lyon Tower Drug incident - Report of a smell of a controlled substance. Oct. 12 10:13 P.M. | ARREST Riverview Drive Drug incident - Citation issued for posession of marijuana. CITED: Noah James Przyrek, 20, Belchertown, Massachusetts. Oct. 12 11:28 P.M. | ARREST Brooke Tower ABCC violation - Citation issued for underage consumption of alcohol. CITED: Forhan Shabaz, 18, Floral Park, New York. CITED: Jordan Vansicklen Svanda, 19, Newtown, Connecticut.
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Oct. 13 12:11 A.M. | ARREST Brooke Tower ABCC violation - Citation issued for underage consumption of alcohol. CITED: Nathan Thomas Burk, 18, Portage, Pennsylvania.
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Oct. 13 12:59 A.M. | ARREST Oakland Hall ABCC violation - Citation issued for underage consumption. CITED: Lian J. Richardson, 19, Leonardo, New Jersey. Oct. 13 2:10 A.M. | ACTIVE High Street Canteen Destruction of property - Report of a male subject causing a disturbance and broke several cases of beer.
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MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2017
3
NEWS
Half way through semester: are you prepared? BY GEORGIA BEATTY STAFF WRITER Halfway through first semester, WVU students have survived the dreaded midterm exams. Mixed performance is both consistent across the board and entirely normal, according to professors, and there are several doors open for students who want to feel more comfortable with classroom content. Professor Daniel Brewster, a sociology instructor on campus, attributes varied performance partially to upbringing. “Education is not equal in this country,” Brewster said, “Many students do well initially because they’ve been given the skills and resources to do well; others adjust and hopefully develop those skills as they go.” There are many opportunities for students to take initiative and help themselves acclimate, many of which go unused, according to Brewster. When it comes to taking advantage of office hours, “most students are slowly reactive,” Brewster said, “They typically come a-calling when they need a parachute or miracle.” TestWELL tutor Morgan
PHOTO BY COLIN TRACY
Students study in the downtown library. Simpson, a sophomore psychology student from Summit Point, West Virginia, reaffirms this trend in Honors and Lincoln Halls’ tutoring centers. “They come here when they already have the problem,” Simpson said, “Some do go the first few weeks, that’s when
it’s more preventative, but after that we see a drop-off.” “If students went there to have people help them with notes and study for tests, they’d have better grades,” Simpson said, “rather than get the bad grade and try to pick it back up.”
Is the West Virginia mask law unconstitutional or constitutional? BY PENELOPE DE LA CRUZ STAFF WRITER The American Civil Liberties Union states that the West Virginia mask law is unconstitutional. Code 61-06-22 of West Virginia statute states that wearing a mask, hood or face covering in or around a public or state-owned area is illegal unless one is under 16, defending themselves against the elements, or are wearing a traditional holiday costume. On campus, however, mask-related cases are handled on a case-by-case basis according to Chief of University Police Bob Roberts. “The law is enforced by its intent with officer judgment of the circumstances by our department, if you are having a Halloween party, we expect masks, but we don’t expect people to be wearing them in public places,” Roberts said. Being the origin of the law, Roberts disagrees with the ACLU’s statement that the statute goes against the constitution, and will continue to enforce to law.
“The law is enforced by its intent with officer judgment of the circumstances by our department, if you are having a Halloween party, we expect masks, but we don’t expect people to be wearing them in public places.” -Bob Roberts, Chief of University Police “The intent of the law was based on logic and designed to reduce potentially violent incidents where perpetrators attempt to hide their identity,” Roberts said. Roberts recommends that students use their best judgement in what kind of masks they wear and where they wear them. While the intention of the law was to prevent robberies and assaults committed by masked individuals, Joseph Cohen, the executive director of West Virginia ACLU, said the law is not written for all situations where someone may want their identity unknown. “The law has no exception for someone engaging in pro-
test activity,” said Cohen. Cohen said that if someone gets in legal trouble for wearing a mask to protest, while their protesting is a constitutionally protected right, they can still be penalized for doing so because they are wearing a mask. “While the law was made in attempts to prevent people who are committing crimes, the law is overbroad and as a result is unconstitutional,” Cohen said. Several people were arrested last year for wearing clown and Ghostface masks in public throughout West Virginia while they were not presenting any danger to surrounding individuals.
As for studying tips outside of the tutoring center, Simpson encourages students to “find out your learning type.” “Most people just sit there and read the same material over and over,” Simpson said, “It’s all about whether you’re verbal, kinesthetic [or]
auditory.” Jack Wellener is a freshman engineering student from Richmond, Virginia, who knows of the resources offered by the University and appreciates them. “As far as academic help goes, I feel like I’m pretty sup-
ported if I needed it,” Wellener said, “I feel like there are a lot of resources there, through the teachers and professors and learning centers.” But Wellener is also one of many who has yet to “come a-calling” to his professors during office hours and attend tutoring sessions, and he doesn’t think it would help. “As far as midterms go, I feel like the information was presented in a way that I should’ve understood it, and if I reviewed the information, reviewed my notes, studied a little more, then I should’ve been able to get it on my own,” Wellener said. Brewster said that dropping classes is always a viable option, and not one to be ashamed of. Brewster encourages students to consider dropping a class if “you have a low C, D, or F when the last day to drop a class arrives,” but he says it’s not a “one-size-fits-all” model. “It’s your responsibility to be your own advocate,” Brewster said, “It’s foolish to not seek [help] when so many resources are available.”
Building credit as a student can help BY JOE SEVERINO CORRESPONDENT Building a strong credit history is one of the most important things a person can do for themselves, and college is one of the best times to start. Frank DeGeorge, a finance professor at WVU, said that credit cards can be great, but only if they are used to buy things you would normally buy. The CARD Act passed by Congress in 2009 prevents people who are under 21 from obtaining expensive, high-spending limit credit cards, unless you can prove that you have the income to support one, or you have a cosigner. “Now is the time when students need to start building their credit,” DeGeorge said, “Ideally, it would be great if parents started their kids in high school.” Credit card use among students is on a rapid decline, partly because of the CARD Act. In 2005, 46 percent of students owned a credit card, as opposed to 2015, where only 23 percent had one. “The thing that’s important
PHOTO VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS
Using credit cards can be very rewarding for students that use them responsibly. that I try to tell my students, is that you’re going to spend money, and as long as you have the discipline to use that credit card just for things you already would have bought, then use the credit card,” DeGeorge said. According to creditcards. com, last year college students across the nation ages 18-20 carried an average credit card debt of $611, while students aged 21-22 averaged $1,013 in debt. “Students often drift into credit card debt when they start spending money on things that aren’t essential,” DeGeorge said, “Where students get into trouble is when they start spending money on things they wouldn’t otherwise spend.” Many students may choose
to pay cash or use a debit card for most purchases, but using credit cards can be both harmless and rewarding, if they are used responsibly. “The way you use a credit card today will affect your ability to make purchases in the future, so it’s extremely important to find a card that fits you,” DeGeorgem said. Students at WVU have a safe option when it comes to deciding on a credit card. PNC Bank at WVU offers multiple low-risk and low-spending limit cards that are designed to be used by students. “Someday, everyone is going to have to borrow money; whether it’s to buy a house or just for emergencies, but you need to have that credit history,” DeGeorge said. “It’s like a safety net.”
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MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2017
CULTURE
STAFF PHOTO
Dustin Trychta poses with his pumpkin last October.
Dustin Trychta, the man behind the gourd BY JULIA HILLMAN CORRESPONDENT Many WVU students have unique talents, but only one student is know for his pumpkin growing skills. Dustin Trychta, a junior horticulture student, is known throughout the state as the man who grew “Pebbles” the giant pumpkin. What many people may not know though is all the hard effort and work
that goes into growing these giant vegetables. Trychtas current growing season began on April 10, 2017. In order to be able to plant prior to the last frost he constructed temporary greenhouses using pvc pipes and soil warming cables. When he harvests his largest pumpkin this season it will be 113 days old, thanks to these greenhouses. Besides his giant pumpkins, Trychta takes great pride in
growing just about everything that he can get his hands on. Some of the other large plants that he has grown this season include a 38.6 pound cantaloupe, 10.77 pound cucumber, a couple 60 pound watermelons and a 2.5 pound carrot. Not only are Trychta’s giant vegetables fun to look at but they also are competitive. “Once the seeds are in the soil, it’s no holds barred until the prize money is handed out. Some sites have $5,000
plus awarded to the heaviest pumpkin, so every pound counts,” Trychta said. Trytcha’s favorite part about growing giant vegetables is the harvest season, which stretches from finals in the spring semester thru midterms in the fall semester. While it is his favorite, he also said it is extremely demanding and takes up most of his free time, including his summers. His largest Pumpkin will be on display in front of the
Mountainlair from Oct. 15 thru Oct. 26 when he will perform a live seed harvest for National Pumpkin Day. Trychta will also be demonstrating his talents at the Inaugural Pumpkin Regatta taking place from 11 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park. The event invites teams to take part in a new competition in celebration of WVU’s 70th annual Mountaineer Week. Participants in the event
Seventy foot pepperoni roll to celebrate Mountaineer week BY JORDYN JOHNSON CORRESPONDENT West Virginia’s “favorite unofficial state food” will be the star of WVU. A 70-foot-long pepperoni roll is set to be baked on Monday, Oct. 23 to celebrate what it means to be a Mountaineer. Once the creation is finished, students and faculty are invited to grab a bite. WVU Dining Services’ catering unit will be baking the roll and it will (unofficially) be
the biggest ever made. “We’re trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records,” said Mountaineer Week advisor, Sonja Wilson The event comes just in time to celebrate the iconic food with Pepperoni Roll Day taking place on Oct. 22. The day of celebration will bring former WVU student and employee, Candice Nelson, back to Morgantown. Nelson will be signing copies of her book titled “The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll”, which is published by the
WVU Press. This event is one of many set to take place during Mountaineer Week from Oct. 20-29. Mountaineer Week has been around since 1947 and was created to bring more spirit to WVU. Originally, the week started off with students gathering on the old Mountaineer Field the night before kickoff versus the University of Kentucky. Mountaineer Week is WVU’s way of celebrating the culture and history of West Virginia. This is the 70th anniversary of the celebration.
Activities this year will include, but are not limited to a quilt show, a beard growing competition, numerous free food opportunities, the traditional PRT cram and the naming of the 2017 Mr. and Ms. Mountaineer. According to the Mountaineer Week planning committee, their number one priority of event planning is to remind and educate WVU students about the culture that has made West Virginia what it is today. The week of events hopes
to attract thousands of visitors from the campus, community, state and region as it preserves and provides access to cultural and educational resources that bind people and cultures together. The massive baked good will be brought out at 12 p.m. to the first floor of the Mountainlair for spectators and tasters. For more information about the event, and all of Mountaineer Week’s festivities, visit https://mountaineerweek. wvu.edu.
will race by rowing themselves through the water in giant pumpkins. Teams participating in the inaugural event include WVU Men’s Rowing Club,WVU Veterans Club, teachers from North Elementary School and WVU Horticulture Club, with which Trychta will participate. For more information on the Inaugural Pumpkin Regatta, and Mountaineer Week, please visit https://mountaineerweek.wvu.edu/.
Mountaineer week event highlights • PRT Cram • Bob Huggins 3-on-3 basketball tournament • Mountaineer Week blood drive • Mountaineer Week student lot tailgate • Mountaineer Idol finale HTTPS://MOUNTAINEERWEEK. WVU.EDU/SCHEDULE
MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2017
5
OPINION
Trump’s birth control mandate: should the government pay for birth control? BY PAYTON OTTERMAN CORRESPONDENT Can you imagine the government dictating what your company’s health insurance has to pay for? At the end of September, Donald Trump rolled back the birth control mandate set by Obama under the Affordable Care Act. According to the New York Times, Obama’s contraceptive cover mandate “removed cost as a barrier to birth control, a longtime goal of advocates for women’s rights.” Employers who don’t want to pay for contraception now don’t have to, and what’s wrong with that? Any employer who objects to covering birth control in a company health insurance plan should have every right to. Although people will argue this mandate violates the separation of church and state, it doesn’t. Separation of church and state is an unfair assessment for this particular mandate. It’s unfair and unconstitutional to make employers pay for something they don’t want to pay for. Instead, the cost of medical products should not be inflated. This way, the individual could afford to pay for his or her own medications.
PHOTO VIA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A woman opens up a new package of birth control pills. “Instead of trying to save companies money by not requiring them to provide birth control, maybe companies
Follow us on social media: Twitter: @DailyAthenaeum Instagram: @dailyathenaeum Snapchat: Dailyathenaeum Opinion Staff Kameron Duncan, Payton Otterman, Jocelin Leon, Logan Wilson, Lexi Persad, Jeffery Boggess, Grant Discepolo, Maura Flynn, and Leigh-Anna Johnson Opinion expressed in columns and letters are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the DA or organizations with which the author(s) are associated.
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should lower the inflation on the price of the medication,” said Kelly Bell, a freshman design, theater and technology
student from Charleston, West Virginia. The money insurance uses to cover costs for other people’s
birth control comes out of OUR pockets. It is not our responsibility to pay for someone else’s
medications, and instead it should be our personal choice to help people who need it. According to US News, most birth control options typically cost $15 month. Instead of paying money each month on Netflix, Spotify, Hulu or other sources of entertainment, pay for your own birth control instead if it’s that important to you. Spending money on necessities like birth control and other inexpensive needs can be a way to budget more efficiently. Of course, this can only happen if the price of medicine and other necessities is affordable enough for people to pay for them out of pocket. “I feel like it shouldn’t be the employer’s responsibility to dictate who can and can’t have access to birth control,” said Kiara Cline, a freshman photography student from Cross Lanes, West Virginia. “Birth control should be the individual’s and insurance company’s responsibility.” The government doesn’t owe us anything. No one is taking away your birth control, you just have to pay for it yourself. We can’t be reliant on the government to provide us with our medications, especially with a medication as personal as birth control.
Women’s roles in education: thriving or surviving? BY MAURA FLYNN CORRESPONDENT Ann Thomas was the first African American to graduate from Ohio Valley General Hospital. Dr. Mollie Cecil fought the odds of poverty as she became the first in her family to attend college and later become a doctor. Agnes Morrison was the first woman to graduate from WVU Law School and pass the West Virginia state bar exam. These three women spoke of their experiences as pioneers in higher education on Thursday afternoon, at an event within WVU’s Diversity Week titled, “First Generation: This is Her Story”. “To look at history through one person’s life, brings it to life,” said Dr. Laurie Ruberg, as she re-enacted Morrison’s pursuit of a law career. Having history brought to life before the audience was quite the wake up call, confronting how we, as college students, may find it easy to neglect the days when pursuing a college degree would have been a distant reality, or altogether impossible for women. Furthermore, how it can be
PHOTO BY MAURA FLYNN
Dr. Mollie Cecil, Dr. Laurie Ruberg, and Ann Thomas gathered at the First Generation event to speak about their experiences in higher education. easy to stagnate progress fighting spoken and unspoken sexist mindsets on campuses. “I may not have been the first girl to become a doctor, but I did have to fight against society’s expectations about what a poor girl from middle-of-nowhere West Virginia could be,” Cecil said. The dialogues of these three women were strong reminders that even to this day, our fight
for equality and opportunity is far from finished. Frances Bennett, a key organizer of the event, said, “This event is demonstrating to others who may share similar backgrounds that obstacles may come in life, but you can certainly get through them.” Here at West Virginia University, there are programs put in place to provide first generation students comfort and security,
including reserved housing, scholarships, and most importantly, a sense of community in such a foreign environment. What can we take away from pioneers sharing their stories; the same pioneers that paved the way for our progress in education? Regardless of our differences, we all must share one ideology: adversity must never hinder us from fostering potential.
6
MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2017
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Level: 1
Across
1 Baseball putout, often 4 Digital readouts, for short 8 No more than 14 401(k) kin: Abbr. 15 Settled on a rail 16 Abs exercise 17 Source of valuable metal 19 Holy __: brat 20 Isaac’s eldest 21 Golden State wine region 23 One World Trade Center topper 24 Sales team 25 Early record player 27 Give it __: make an effort 29 Work’s opposite 30 Fibber or Molly of old radio 32 Rationale 34 Repair 37 Beatles song used as wake-up music on the last Space Shuttle mission 40 Mariner’s “Help!” 41 Tear to pieces 42 Makes, as money 43 “Buona __”: Gino’s “Good evening” 44 Former trans-Atl. fliers 45 Revolving blade sharpener 50 Thing to scratch
53 Cut again, as grass 54 Bring into the firm 55 About 66.5 degrees, for the Arctic Circle 56 Musician Keys 58 Extinct since way back when ... and, in a way, what each set of circles represents 60 Poland Spring competitor 61 Words to Brutus 62 Dist. you can see 63 The “S” in GPS 64 Pest-control brand 65 Md. summer hrs.
Down
1 Striped big cat 2 Got up 3 Islands visited by Darwin 4 On the __: at large 5 Like Saran wrap 6 Bahraini money 7 Assembly instructions start 8 Put-on 9 Violates a “private property” sign 10 Brown played by Candice Bergen 11 “Blame It __”: 1984 film set in Brazil 12 Disdain
13 Little pigs number 18 Looked for prints 22 Intensifies 26 Actress Lena 28 1967 Neil Diamond song title line preceding “Go to my head” 30 British sports cars 31 Pigeon sound 32 Less-traveled way 33 Sch. with a Phoenix campus 34 Grade school crush, often 35 Quaint quarters 36 Kisses, in romantic letters 38 Hoity-toity manners 39 Detesting 43 Polar expedition vehicle 44 Taken care of 45 Mortarboard tossers 46 Race with batons 47 “What’d __?”: returning traveler’s query 48 Lubricated 49 Campus midshipmen’s prog. 51 Dog or coyote 52 Nuclear trial, briefly 57 “Ready, __, fire!” 59 Staple or nail driver
2
3 4
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk © 2016 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
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MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2017
OUTDOOR | 7
Outdoor
BY CHLOE COURTADE OUTDOOR COLUMNIST
Running program searches for coaches for upcoming season Girls on the Run is looking for volunteer coaches for the upcoming season. Girls on the Run is a running program for girls in third through eighth grade that gives them the tools and knowledge to learn how to run as well as important life skills for young girls. The program’s main goal is youth development in a physical activity based environment. The program needs volunteer coaches to work with girls after school twice a week. The coaches will facilitate lessons to the girls in the program. The program will culminate in May with a 5K event. To sign up to coach visit www.gotncwv.org. “Everything that we do is designed to increase girl’s self-esteem, self-confidence and the ability of the girls to take care of themselves,” said Laurie Abildso, the executive director of the North Central West Virginia GOTR program. “The first set of lessons are about the girls getting to know
PHOTO VIA GOTRNCWV.ORG
themselves: what they value, what their interests and skills are,” Abildso said. “The second set of lessons is about working together as a team so they do lessons on conflict resolution, how to deal with gossip, how to deal with bullies. And the last set of lessons are all about contribution to the community so the girls come up with and carry out their own service projects.” GOTR is a unique program. Unlike team sports or physical education, the focus is not on running, the program simply
utilizes physical activity to foster social development in the participants. The story behind GOTR is also unique, and truly shines a light on what the program is about. “GOTR was founded about 21 years ago by a woman named Melanie Barker — she was a triathlete and a really good runner,” Abildso said. “Basically, Molly was going through a really difficult period of her life. She was abusing alcohol and had hit rock bottom.” “One day she called her sister and she said ‘you know I’m done, I think I’m going to end this,’” Abildso said. “So her sister gave her the advice to just sleep on it, you know tomorrow is a new day, just go to sleep. So, she did, she woke up the next day, and she hadn’t run for weeks but she decided to go for a run. And during this run she felt so strong, and so beautiful, and just perfect just the way she was. So, she loved that feeling
that running gave her and she decided she wanted to share that with other girls.” It is clear the desired affect is being achieved through the program. “Girls on the Run International just did a study and they looked at GOTR participants, and they measured life skills through surveys— just how they felt about themselves, how they felt they contributed to communities,” Abildso said. “And they compared those results to girls who had never done Girls on the Run, so girls who had done team sports or who had just been exposed to physical education at school. They found that, statistically speaking, girls that had done GOTR got these life skills and retained them beyond the end of the program.” Sam Zizzi, a professor in sport and exercise psychology, is a parent of two girls in the program and a coach at Mountain View Elementary. Zizzi
spoke about the changes he has seen as a parent and coach. “I see some social growth,” Zizzi said. “They certainly get more comfortable around people from different grades, or girls they are not familiar with, and they have to speak every time. There’s a lot of discussion so they get very comfortable with participation and being silly and being themselves across the course of the program. “I certainly see a lot of the girls get more confident with walking and running so, I certainly see them growing in their physical confidence,” Zizzi said. The overall effects GOTR has on participants seems to be extremely beneficial, and largely based on social confidence and mental and physical health. “For me, the biggest effect would be the idea that they have a broader set of social support in place outside that particular environment,” Zizzi said. “One of my
daughters is more introverted so it has a double effect for her, not having a huge social network at school. Then there are other people who can kind of look out for her, who know her name.” “The second [biggest effect] in my family is we have a big focus on health in general and eating healthy, being active and being strong physically and how to do that,” Zizzi said. “I think this program fits well with how I conceptualize my own family, trying to teach them to make good choices when they eat, to make healthy choices with being active instead of sedentary or in front of screens all the time. This program is just another venue to be an impactful parent and reinforce some of the messages we teach at home.” If you want to evoke positive development in young girls in the community, register to become a Girls on the Run coach for this season.
8
MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2017
SPORTS
A look at a WVU player’s schedule BY NEEL MADHAVAN SPORTS WRITER On his busiest days, West Virginia redshirt senior offensive lineman Grant Lingafelter wakes up at the crack of dawn to get ready for morning workouts and lifting sessions at Milan Puskar Stadium. On this particular day, Lingafelter’s day begins at 6:30 a.m. and won’t end until around midnight. It’s no secret that student-athletes lead busy, hectic and stressful lives. With between 12 and 20 credit hours of classes per week, daily team meetings, meals, lifting sessions, workouts, position meetings, film sessions, treatment, homework, studying, practice and study hall to balance out during the week, it’s a wonder how student-athletes have enough energy to go full speed when game day comes along. “On a typical day, I’ll get up around 9 a.m., head to class until about 12:30 p.m., drive to the stadium to get ready for practice and meetings, go out for practice until around
“You go to class in the morning and focus on football in the afternoon.” - Shane Commodore, senior safety 7 p.m., then eat dinner and do homework until around 11 p.m. and get ready to do it again the next day,” Lingafelter said. WVU’s student-athlete development staff helps football players and other student-athletes plan their class schedules and manage their academic plans in accordance with their athletics schedules. Mark Hanselman, an academic advisor for student-athletes at WVU, encourages student-athletes to take their more challenging courses in the offseason, so that they have more time available to dedicate to those classes. “Since some athletes travel so much during a semester of competition, some classes are off limits during the season,” Hanselman said. “For instance, baseball players cannot take ENGL (English) 101 or 102 in the spring semesters because travel with the team forces them to miss more classes than the English
department allows for those courses. The same is true for football, except they can’t take those classes in the fall.” For redshirt senior safety Shane Commodore, balancing academics with the time demands of athletics came naturally. “You just have to be really disciplined, and I think a lot of student athletes are good with because there are days where you focus on classes and academics and on other days you have to focus on football,” Commodore said. “You go to class in the morning and focus on football in the afternoon.” Both Lingafelter and Commodore have been named to Academic All-Big 12 Conference teams - Lingafelter in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and Commodore in 2016. That accomplishment shows how both have been able to manage their time to be successful on the football field and in the classroom. “It was a big honor for me to
receive because I have always prided myself on getting good grades,” Lingafelter said. Both are redshirt seniors, with Lingafelter being a general business student while Commodore is studying accounting. “I had a teacher in high school that I had a ton of respect for and that I really liked, really made it seem like something I could do as a career in the future,” Commodore said. “[Accounting] wasn’t the major I started off in, I actually started off in MIS [management information systems]. I ended up switching because it wasn’t as good, and it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.” According to NFL.com, just 1.6 percent of college football players make it to the professional level. With this statistic, even if a player has professional aspirations, it’s always a smart move to have a degree and a career possibility to fall back on. “Football will not last forever, but an education and degree will,” Lingafelter said. “Getting good grades has always been my number one priority.”
Early performances bring excitement to WVU golf program BY JOSEPH SEVERINO CORRESPONDENT The West Virginia golf team continues to improve despite putting up impressive performances during the first two matches. WVU has one victory and one second-place finish this season, beating 25 out of the 26 teams it has competed against. WVU Head Coach Sean Covich had a lot to say about his team’s performance at their home meet at Pete Dye Golf Club last week. “I thought we did okay the first round,” Covich said. “I thought we played terrible the second round, but the third round we showed a lot of grit, and we didn’t give up.” “I couldn’t be more proud of the way we finished,” Covich said. WVU still has a while to go until postseason tournament time comes around, however, because the Big 12 Championships don’t begin until April 23. But until then, the Mountaineers are looking at their recent performances as a sign of growth in the program. Max Sear has been with the program all three years since its reinstatement, and the junior says that he’s been really encouraged by the growth of the
PHOTO VIA WVU SPORTS
Logan Perkins follows through on his drive. young team. “I think the main thing, team-wise, we’re just a little bit more competitive (than year’s past),” Sear said.
Sear also pointed to the depth of the team on why the group has been strong top to bottom. “Qualifying has been a big
thing so far, just because you know if you show up without you’re A-game you probably won’t make it into the lineup,” Sear said
Covich also credited individual players, including some the program’s new guys. “(Sophomore) Etienne Papineau has definitely stepped
up his game,” Covich said. “He showed flashes of what he could do last fall, but he struggled in the spring last year; but I think he really worked hard on his game over the summer.” “A lot of the new guys like [sophomore] Philipp [Matlari] and [freshman] Matthew [Sharpstene] have really injected a lot of energy into our lineup,” Covich added. From the beginning of the season, it was unclear how the Mountaineers were going to perform, even with a loaded roster. But now, Sear thinks the group is trending toward the end of the first half in the right way. “It’s been exciting to see where we’ve headed,” Sear said. “I didn’t really know what to expect when we tipped it up in our first event, because we had some new faces and I didn’t really know how they would handle college golf.” WVU has two more matches left in first half of the season from Oct. 22-24 in Windermere, Florida, and Nov. 3-5 in Lahaina, Hawaii, which will show how far WVU might be able to go into the postseason. The Mountaineers will compete against some big-time programs like Auburn, Florida, LSU, North Carolina and Texas Tech.
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SPORTS | 9
How has the MAC affected WVU men’s soccer? BY JOHN LOWE ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR On Oct 28, 2011, West Virginia University announced their intention to move from the Big East Conference to the Big 12 Conference, effective July 1, 2012. The move was inevitable. Television contract disputes had frustrated the powers-that-be in university athletic departments all over the country and that was certainly no different in the Big East, who had already lost Syracuse and Pitt to the Atlantic Coast Conference a month earlier. West Virginia needed to move on from the Big East or face uncertainty. The Big 12 Conference, for the most part, fit WVU like a glove. However, some sports were lost in the shuffle. Men’s soccer and rifle are two sports not sponsored by the conference, so Marlon LeBlanc had to look for other options. On Mar. 27, 2012, LeBlanc and then-athletic director Oliver Luck announced that the team had made a four-year commitment to the Mid-American Conference, which was chosen over Conference USA and possible independence. “At the end of the day, we decided that the MAC was going to be the best fit for us for a number of reasons,” LeBlanc said during the announcement. “Obviously, there are a few other
PHOTO BY TRISTIAN WRIGHT
WVU men’s soccer celebrates their upset victory against Michigan State with fans.
PHOTO BY JOHN LOWE
Coach LeBlanc instructs his player during the first half against Northern Illinois affiliate memberships out there. Conference USA came up; independent status came up for us. But at the end of the day, we believe that the MAC was going to give us the best opportunity to continue our push towards a national championship.” Going into the MAC, the Mountaineer men’s soccer
program had a lot to be proud of. The team went to the NCAA Tournament five times in the last seven seasons, including a Sweet 16 berth in 2007. On top of all of that, Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium averaged an attendance of more than 1,000 for every home game. Since joining the MAC, West
Virginia has lost or tied more game than they have won (49 wins compared to 55 losses and ties) and attendance has decreased by about 30 percent since the Big East days (1,087 average in 2011 to 768 average over the last six seasons). It presents the question, did the move to the MAC hurt the team?
In five full seasons in the MAC, the Mountaineers have failed to advance beyond the conference semifinals (and even missed the conference tournament entirely in 2016) much less the NCAA Tournament for a national championship push. This season, West Virginia has shown further inconsistency. The Mountaineers rose as high as 14th in the nation’s United Soccer Coaches poll in September before two scoreless draws and a loss at UMBC removed them from the national consciousness. The 7-0 loss at
Pitt was the team’s worst loss in 17 years. WVU salvaged this season with a 1-0 victory over No. 6 Michigan State, who leads the soccer RPI (rating percentage index, which measures strength of record), but followed it with another scoreless draw at Bowling Green. The Mountaineers will look to gain some traction during the final four games of the season, starting at at 7.pm. Friday against No. 13 Western Michigan at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Big 12 power rankings: WVU moves up after win BY PATRICK KOTNIK ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR 1. TCU (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) Last Week: No. 1 Despite a three-hour weather delay prior to kickoff, the Horned Frogs continued their dominance with a 26-6 victory over Kansas State on the road. The TCU defense caught a break with Kansas State quarterback Jesse Ertz out of the lineup, but Gary Patterson’s defense turned in a dominant performance that helped out the team’s offense, which had a lackluster performance compared to its previous two games against WVU and Oklahoma State. TCU will return home on Saturday to face a Kansas team that is still looking for its first conference win. Next matchup: Kansas 2. Oklahoma (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) Last week: No. 2 Oklahoma pulled off a thrilling 29-24 win over rival Texas despite blowing a 20-point lead. But the Soon-
ers’ performance shouldn’t be a concern moving forward. According to ESPN, in each of the past three years, Oklahoma has lost at least once in the first five games, and in the past two seasons, the Sooners haven’t lost again in the regular season. Oklahoma was upset by Iowa State last week, and if history has proven anything, it’s that the Sooners are one of the teams to beat in the Big 12. Next matchup: @ Kansas State 3. Oklahoma State (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) Last week: No. 3 Following a bye week, the Cowboys set a school-record with 747 total yards against Baylor in a 59-16 win at home. After dropping in the Heisman Trophy standings, quarterback Mason Rudolph proved why he was the top Heisman candidate coming into this season, passing for 459 yards and three touchdowns. This blowout win is just what the Cowboys needed to boost their confidence after a close call against Texas Tech and an
upset loss to TCU. Oklahoma State’s high-powered offense will be tested this weekend against Texas on the road. Next matchup: @ Texas 4. West Virginia (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) Last week: No. 5 West Virginia overcame an 18-point deficit and completed the second-largest comeback in Milan Puskar Stadium history against Texas Tech, defeating the Red Raiders, 46-35. With the win, the Mountaineers find themselves back in the hunt for a Big 12 Championship Game appearance. The team still has work to do on all sides of the ball, especially on defense, but the comeback win will give the Mountaineers a muchneeded confidence and morale booster moving forward. Next matchup: @ Baylor 5. Iowa State (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) Last week: No. 7 The Cyclones are riding high on the momentum they’ve generated from their upset win over Oklahoma last
week. That momentum was put on display against Kansas as Iowa State cruised to a 45-0 win at home. Iowa State’s defense is what stood out the most against the Jayhawks as the Cyclones put up a shutout and held Kansas to a season-low 106 total yards, the least amount of yards Iowa State has given up since 1963. This defense faces another test this week against a Texas Tech offense that averages 44.8 points per game. Next matchup: @ Texas Tech 6. Texas Tech (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) Last week: No. 4 Texas Tech suffered a heartbreaking loss in the hands of WVU on the road, blowing an 18-point second half lead. How the Red Raiders respond after this loss is critical with how competitive the Big 12 is. With one more loss, Texas Tech will more than likely find itself out of Big 12 Championship contention. Next matchup: Iowa State 7. Texas (3-3, 2-1 Big 12)
Last week: No. 6 The Longhorns have shown much improvement this season under first-year head coach Tom Herman, but are still not ready to take that next step. Texas has been competitive this year and that showed against Oklahoma, but a signature win can help boost the team down the final half of the regular season. Texas’ schedule doesn’t get any easier as a contest against Oklahoma State awaits, but if Saturday’s game against the Sooners showed anything, it’s to never count the Longhorns out. Next matchup: Oklahoma State 8. Kansas State (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) Last week: No. 8 Kansas State has dropped two straight and is in need of a win to get its season going in the right direction. The team’s offense struggled without quarterback Jesse Ertz against TCU and the Wildcats could see the same result if Ertz is not the field again against Oklahoma this Saturday. Next matchup: Oklahoma
9. Baylor (0-6, 0-3 Big 12) Last week: No. 9 Baylor managed to score first against Oklahoma State, but it was all downhill from there as the Bears gave up 747 total yards to the Cowboys. This loss is devastating for Baylor after the team showed promise with narrow losses to both Kansas State and Oklahoma. The Bears will once again be in search of their first win of the season against WVU. Next matchup: WVU 10. Kansas (1-5, 0-3 Big 12) Last week: No. 10 The Jayhawks turned in their worst offensive performance of the season, gaining just 106 yards of total offense and scoring no points. Kansas gained just 40 yards on 30 plays in the first half against Iowa State and finished the game 2-of-17 on third down. If the offense performs the same way against TCU this weekend, the Jayhawks can count on the game being over by halftime. Next matchup: TCU
10 | CHRIS’ CORNER
MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2017
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hris’ orner
CHRIS JACKSON SPORTS EDITOR
PHOTO BY COLIN TRACY
WVU offensive line breaks through TCU’s defense.
Vocal offensive line paves way Saturday BY CHRIS JACKSON MANAGING EDITOR Credit West Virginia’s offensive line. On 4th-and-1 from No. 24 Texas Tech’s 18-yard line, trailing 35-32 with 9:34 remaining, it appeared WVU would settle for the field goal. It was probably the smartest play (at the time). The coaches sent out the field goal unit at first. Mike Molina was about to attempt his second field goal of the day - this one being a 35-yarder after converting from 43 yards earlier in the afternoon. But there were voices saying otherwise. “The field goal was probably the wisest thing to do if you probably look back at it,” said WVU Offensive Coordinator Jake Spavital. Those voices were the offensive line. WVU took a timeout, heeding the offensive line’s message. So, they decided to simply risk everything. WVU sent the full house package out, with redshirt senior tight end/fullback Elijah Wellman and redshirt junior tight end Trevon Wesco to the sides of Grier, while senior running back Justin Crawford trailed Grier in the backfield. “Coach Holgorsen was like, ‘are you guys going to
get this?’” said WVU redshirt sophomore right tackle Colton McKivitz. “We all kind of gave him like an ‘are you kidding me?’ We’re going to get this no matter what. That was our mindset.” Texas Tech rushed the A-gaps, per Spavital. Grier moved to the side and powered his way through. Just barely, though. After the officials measured, Grier got the first down by a few inches. If he was short, Texas Tech gets the ball back, harboring a 3-point lead and probably seizing all the momentum back. Instead, WVU snatched the momentum. “I was more interested in taking the lead than tying the game because I didn’t think the scoring was over,” said WVU Head Coach Dana Holgorsen. “Then all of our offensive linemen yelled at me and talked me into going for it. So I said, ‘okay, it’s on your shoulders.’ And we got about an inch more than we needed.” One play later, Grier found senior receiver Ka’Raun White for the 17-yard score. Milan Puskar Stadium rejoiced, and so did WVU’s players and coaches. The Mountaineers took, and kept, the lead following that touchdown, making
it 39-35 with 9:14 left. Texas Tech would not score again. WVU would one more time, with Grier connecting with junior receiver David Sills for an 11-yard touchdown, sealing the victory at 46-35 as only 3:23 remained on the clock. It probably wasn’t the offensive lines best day, at least for the most part. Neither was it for the run game, which totaled 44 yards on 29 carries, its lowest amount since a season-opening loss to No. 2 Alabama in 2014 (28 rushing yards on 24 carries). However, WVU found a way. Not all because of the offensive line for voicing its opinions and having confidence the offense would get the first down. Not all because of the belief it would do enough blocking to help Grier get the first down. But that was a critical part. It was a critical aspect in WVU’s ability to end its ninegame losing streak to ranked opponents and keep the team in the thick of the Big 12 title race, improving to 2-1 in conference play and sitting in a five-team logjam for second place in the standings behind undefeated TCU. “Thank God for that timeout,” Spavital said. “That was kind of the turning point.”
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Will Grier hands the ball off to Justin Crawford.
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